Paper clip device



June 17, 1958 D. v. WILLS 2,838,317

PAPER CLIP DEVICE Filed April 9, 1956 INVENTOR.

0,4 W0 V. W L 5 United States Patent PAPER CLIP DEVICE David V. Wills, Philadelphia, Pa., Application April 9, 1956, Serial No. 577,167

6 Claims. (Cl. 24-66) The invention relates to a paper clip device, and more particularly has reference to a paper clip device of the expandable wire type.

The wire type paper clip devices of the prior art have been generally adapted to secure papers having a limited total thickness. Such paper clips when expanded for application to a heavy thickness of paper are generally unsatisfactory. Under such circumstances they become permanently deformed, fail to retain the papers to which they are applied, and in many cases become disengaged therefrom.

It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a new and improved paper clip device which is particularly adapted to retain papers of various total thicknesses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved paper clip device of the wire type of improved effectiveness for retaining materials of thin or heavy total thicknesses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved paper clip device of the wire type which has an increased retaining ability as the thickness of the material to which it is applied is increased.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved paper clip device formed of a single piece of wire material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved paper clip device which does not become permanently deformed by application to materials of extreme thickness, can be used repeatedly for various applications, and is of long duration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved paper clip device which is readily fabricated, *efiicient in operation and inexpensive in cost.

The above objects as well as many other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a paper clip device formed of a unitary elongated resilient wire member comprising a substantially linear top portion having first and second extremities. First and second coil spring elements are respectively formed by the wire member at the extremities of the top portion, while first and second arm portions are also formed by the wire and respectively joined with the extremities of the top portion by the spring elements. The arm portions form acute angles with the top portion and extend from the extremities of thetop portion in a direction across each other.

The arm portions are in a contracted position when the device is in its engaged state. The arm portions are urged toward their contracted position by the spring elements and cross and contact each other when the device is disengaged.

a With the foregoing discussion in mind, this invention will be most readily understood from the following detailed description of several representative embodiments thereof, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a paper clip device embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the device shown in Figure l,

Figure3 is a perspective view illustrating the device of Figure l as applied to a plurality of paper cards,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the device applied to a smaller number of paper cards, and

Figure 6 is a front elevational view illustrating a'modified form of the paper clip device.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Refer now to the Figures 1 to 5 inclusive which illustrate a paper clip device 10 embodying the invention. The paper clip device 10 is made of a unitary resilient wire member preferably of a material such as spring steel.

The paper clip device 10 has a substantially linear top portion 12 with extremities 14 and 16. A pair of coiled spring elements 18 and 20 are formed in the wire member at the respective ends 14 and 16 of the top portion 12. The spring elements 18, 20 may be coiled in the same direction while extending in opposite directions with respect to the longitudinal axis of the top portion 12.

A pair of arm portions 22, 24 are respectively joined with the ends 14, 16 of the top portion 12 by the spring elements 18, 20. The arm portions 22, 24 respectively extend from the end portions 14, 16 of the top portion 12 forming acute angles 26, 28 with the top portion 12. The extending ends 30, 32 of the arm portions 22, 24 cross each other and may be folded back as illustrated.

The paper clip device 10 when disengaged has its arm portions 22, 24 in the contracted position shown in the Figures 1 and 2. The spring elements 18 and 20 urge the arms 22, 24 toward the contracted position. The device 10 when in its contracted position provides four points of contact between the arms 22, 24 where they cross each other. The extending ends 30, 32 of the arm portions 22, 24 of the device 10 provide a converging entrance or opening area 34 which is useful in the application of the device 10 to the material to be retained.

The Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the device 10 as applied to a thick stack of paper cards 36. In this application of the device 10, the arm portions 22 and 24 are separated receiving between them the stack of cards 36 andrespectively contact the opposite outer surfaces 38, 40. The top portion 12 of the device 10 extends across the top end 42 of the-cards 36. It is noted that with the increase of the total thickness of the cards 36, the internal transverse angles formed by the top portion 12 with the edges 43, 44 of the cards 36 increase towards degrees; This results in an increased spring tension exerted by the spring elements 18, 20 on their respective arm portions 22, 24. This increases the retaining force applied to the sides 38, 40 of the cards 36.

Thus, the increased displacement or separation of the arms 22, 24 when applied to an increased thickness of cards 36 results in increased retaining power by the paper clip device 10.

In addition to the increased tensioning force applied by the spring elements 18, 20 the extreme expansion of the arm portions 22, 24 twists them so that the force applied to the sides 38, 40 of the cards'36'is now concentrated at the regions 46, 48 as illustrated in Figure 4. This results in the compression of the material of the cards 36 at these regions and tends to firmly maintain a the device 10 in position binding the cards 36.

The Figure 4 also illustrates a concave bowing of the top portion 12 of the device 10 when applied to a large thickness of cards 36. The bowing also has the effect of producing a tensioning force which increases the retaining action of the arm portions 22, 24 by urging them towards their retracted position.

Patented June 17, 1958 l The Figure 5 illustrates the application of the device to a plurality of cards 47 of reduced total thickness. In this case the extending ends 30, 32 of the arms 22, 24 are positioned substantially flat against the outer vertical surfaces 49, 50 of the cards 47. This maximizes the contact. area.

From the above description it is evident that the paper clip device 10 is highly effective for retaining material having either a reduced or increased thickness. Thus, the material retained by the device 10 may be varied within large limits without decreasing its effectiveness. The simplicity of operation and form of the device 10 provides a highly efiicient and easily manufactured device of low cost. I

The Figure 6 illustrates a paper clip device 52 which is a modified form of the device 10. i

The device 52 has a top portion 54 provided with an intermediate coil 56 allowing relative displacement of the extremities 58, 60 of the top portion 54 away from each other against the action of the coil spring 56. The extremities or ends 58, 60 of the top portion 54 are respectively provided with coil spring elements 62, 64 which are joined with arm portions 66, 68 in a manner similar to that of the device 10.

In the application of the device 52, the expandable spring element 56 of the top portion 54 allows the device to be extended, thereby expanding its capacity and al.- lowing it to encompass a greater thickness of material. The spring action of the coiled element 56 also serves to apply a retaining tension to the arms 66, 68 for assisting their retaining action.

Whileonly a few representative embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein, there will be obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications or variations accomplishing the foregoing objects and realizing many or all of the advantages, but which yet do not depart essentially from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An integral paper clip device comprising a horizontal substantially linear top portion having first and second extremities, a first coiled spring element joined to the first extremity of said top portion, having a substantially vertical axis, a second coiled spring element joined to the second extremity of said top portion having a substantially vertical axis, and first and second arm portions respectively joined with the extremities of said top portion by said spring element, said first arm portion being joined with the first extremity of said top portion by said spring element, said second arm portion being joined with the second extremity of said top portion, said arm portions extending downwardly from the extremities of said top portion in the direction across each other, said first arm portion being urged by said spring element towards said second arm portion for retaining a body between said arm portions.

2. An integral paper clip device derived from a unitary elongated member comprising a horizontal substantially linear top portion having first and second extremities, first and second coiled spring elements respectively disposed at the extremities of said top portion each spring element having a substantially vertical axis, and first and second arm portions respectively joined with the extremities of said top portion by said spring elements, said arm portions forming acute angles with said top portion and extending from the extremities of said top portion in the direction across each other and being urged by said linear elongated top portion having first and second extremities, first and second coiled spring elements respectively disposed at the extremities of said top portion each having a substantially vertical axis, and first and second arm portions respectively joined with the extremities of said top portion by said spring elements, said arm portions forming acute angles with said top portion and extending from the extremities of said top portion in the direction across each other, said arm portions being in a contracted position when said device is in its disengaged state While assuming an expanded position when said device is in its engaged state, said spring elements respectively urging said arm portions toward their contracted position. i

4. An integral paper clip device derived from a unitary elongated member comprising a horizontal substantially linear elongated top portion having first and second extremities, first and second coiled spring elements respectively disposed at the extremities of said top portion each having a substantially vertical axis, and first and second arm portions respectively joined with the extremities of said top portion by said spring elements, said arm portions forming acute angles with the top portion and extending from the extremities of said top portion in the direction across each other, said arm portions being in a contracted position when said device is in its disengaged state While assuming an expanded position when said device is in its engaged state, said arm portions crossing and contacting each other when said device is in its disengaged state, said spring elements urging said arm portions towards their contracted position.

5. An integral paper clip device derived from a unitary resilient wire member comprising a horizontal substantially linear elongated top portion having first and second extremities, first and second coiled spring elements respectively disposed at the extremities of said top portion each having a substantially vertical axis, and first and second arm portions respectively joined with the extremities of said top portion by said spring elements, said arm portions forming acute angles with the top portion of and extending from the extremities of said top portion in the direction across each other, said arm portions being in a contracted position when said device is in its disengaged state while assuming an expanded position when said device is in its engaged state, said arm portions crossing and contacting each other when said device is in its disengaged state while said arms are separable for receiving a body between them and placing said device in its engaged state, said spring elements urging said arm portions towards their contracted positions for firmly retaining said body between said arm portions.

6. The paper clip device of claim 5 in which the top portion is provided with a coiled spring constituting a part of said unitary member and positioned intermediate the extremities of said top portion, said coiled spring allowing relative displacement of the extremities of said top portion away from each other against the action of the coil spring for increasing the expanding capacity of said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 807,151 Calder Dec. 12, 1905 819,766 Klein May 8, 1906 1,098,789 English June 2, 1914 1,321,592 Brown Nov. 11, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,132 Switzerland of 1902 

